Dodging another car, car crashes into Allentown house

A car is lodged in the front wall of a rowhouse at 447 N. Fifth St., Allentown,… (Frank Warner, THE MORNING…)

August 26, 2011|By Frank Warner, Of The Morning Call

A car crashed into an Allentown rowhouse Friday afternoon as the driver apparently tried to steer away from another car that went through a stop sign, according to police radio reports and witnesses.

Soon after the 5 p.m. crash at Fifth and Liberty streets, police were looking for a silver car that drove off. Police said the driver of that car later turned himself in at the city police station.

"I heard a car skidding and then the car made a quick turn, right between two cars, and hit the house," said Antonio Montanez, 14, of Fifth Street who was outside with his brother Dominic Rosario, 12, when the car jumped the sidewalk and slammed into the 447 N. Fifth St. home.

The car's front end lodged in the house near a first-floor window, just left of the front door. Bricks from above and the left of the window fell on the car's hood and windshield.

The driver, a young man, climbed out the driver's side window and did not look badly injured, Montanez said. He was taken by Allentown EMS to the hospital.

"He's just lucky there was no one standing outside the house," Montanez said.

No one was home at the time of the crash. Firefighters sealed off the accident scene and prepared to have the car extracted from the damaged house.

City police Capt. George Medero said the city Fire Department and building inspectors will have to determine whether the house still is structurally sound. If not, its residents will not be permitted to return until major repairs are done.

An eastbound car on Liberty Street drove through the Fifth Street stop sign and headed for the rear of the southbound car on Fifth that suddenly swerved and ran into the house, Montanez said.

Rosario said he didn't think the cars collided; the driver who crashed probably was trying to get out of the other car's way.

As it hurtled toward the house, the car shot between two sport utility vehicles parked on the east side of Fifth Street. Neither of the SUVs appeared to have significant damage.

Medero said the driver who left the scene will be charged with various traffic offenses.